1. Field
The present invention relates to wrenches, and more particularly, to a wrench device with a knuckle protecting handle.
2. Background
Wrenches are available in a variety of designs. For example, some wrenches are open-ended wrenches which include a U-shaped cavity designed to fit around and engage hexagonal or polygonal fasteners. When using an open-ended wrench, the U-shaped cavity is placed around a hexagonal or polygonal fastener head or nut and, then while the user grips the handle of the wrench, rotates the handle of the wrench at a right angle to an axis of the head thereby rotating the fastener head in a direction that would loosen the fastener.
While wrenches are designed to be strong and durable, wrenches fail or cause distortions in the corners of the fasteners allowing the fastener to rotate within the U-shaped cavity. As a wrench is swung in a controlled manner, the wrench applies a force to the corners of the fastener head or nut to effectuate a turning motion by the fastener in a direction to loosen the fastener. However, in some instances, the wrench is rotated part way while applying a force to the corners of the fastener head. The torque applied to the fastener corners gives way such that the wrench slips abruptly. When using the wrench, the user oftentimes is applying such a strong force, that when the wrench slips abruptly, the user looses control of the wrench causing the user's knuckles to strike any nearby structures or obstructions.
Open-ended wrenches may have a fixed jaw or an adjustable jaw such as without limitation, Crescent and Stillson type wrenches. The adjustable jaw wrenches suffer from the same drawback. The adjustable jaw, although initially tightened around the fastener head, has a tendency to broaden under load causing the wrench to slip. Yet again, the user looses control of the wrench causing the user's knuckles to strike any nearby structures or obstructions.
Wrench type devices are also used in a variety of industrial setting. For example, for most chemical plants or processes a multitude of valves are needed to provide the flow of the process materials from one vessel, or a state, or a reactor to another, as well as, the valving of various other components to treat the process to it or to react with it. In any event, the multitude of valves frequently require heavy turning of the valve's wheel to open or close the valve as necessary in the operation of refinery reactors and any type of fluid processing using pipes, valves, vessels.
The turning of a valve's wheel is generally facilitated by using a wrench type device or a valve wrench. However, in this industrial setting there are many structures near the wheel valve that a normal wrench leaves the operator exposed to potentially injuring his knuckles/hands.
The present invention contemplates elimination of drawbacks associated with conventional wrenches and provision of a wrench device with a knuckle protecting handle to protect a user's knuckles and hands when turning hard-to-turn items.